Lakers reportedly part of latest 'Melo drama

Anything else is just speculation, rumor or good old-fashioned wishful thinking, including possibly an ESPN report Tuesday that said the Lakers and the Denver Nuggets engaged in preliminary talks about an Andrew Bynum-for-Carmelo Anthony swap.

"There have been discussions between the two teams," an unnamed source told ESPN for a story posted on its website. "The Lakers are definitely an option."

Lakers spokesman John Black declined to comment.

It's important to note general managers talk all the time about possible trades, particularly in the days and hours before the deadline. They make calls, receive calls and swap e-mails to discuss scenarios - most of which never come to pass.

That could be the case this time, with the Lakers unwilling to part with Bynum in order to acquire Anthony.

Such a deal might create more problems than it would solve for the Lakers and also might not work so well for the Nuggets.

Bynum is a center, and when paired with fellow 7-footer Pau Gasol he provides the Lakers with their greatest strength: size. The 23-year-old, who skipped college, has suffered a string of knee injuries, which has slowed his progress.

Anthony is a small forward, and when given an inch he'll take two or three miles in a role as one of the league's best offensive players. He plays the same position as Ron Artest, Matt Barnes and Luke Walton, so someone else would have to be dealt.

It's also likely the Nuggets would insist on a third team entering the picture in order to sweeten the pot. When you add the needs of one team to acquire draft picks, lesser players and/or cash, it often makes trades nearly impossible to complete.

For example, a potential three-team deal that would have sent Anthony to the New Jersey Nets collapsed in a heap when the Nets grew tired of the process and declared the negotiations dead only days after ESPN said the deal was on its last lap.

The network also reported over the weekend another three-team swap was in the works, with the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves joining with the Nuggets. Anthony would end up with the Knicks.

Neither the Nuggets-Nets-Detroit Pistons scenario nor the Nuggets-Knicks-Timberwolves deal could match a Lakers-Nuggets deal for star power, however. Anthony is a superstar and the Lakers believe Bynum could be one sooner rather than later.

The Lakers would insist Anthony sign a three-season contract extension worth $65million, according to the ESPN story. He is making $17.1 million this season. Bynum, who is signed through the 2012-13 season, is making $13.8 million.

There is no doubt Bynum remains a work in progress, but trading him would mean admitting failure for Jim Buss, a team executive and the son of owner Jerry Buss. It was Jim Buss who pushed for the Lakers to draft the then 17-year-old Bynum 10th in 2005.

The Lakers also have won consecutive NBA championships with Bynum in their starting lineup. They lost in the 2008 Finals after Bynum had suffered a season-ending knee injury and could not play against the Boston Celtics.

Bynum is averaging 11.3 points and 7.4rebounds this season.

Rest and preparation

The Lakers did not practice Tuesday after flying to Boston but are scheduled to hold a workout today in preparation for Thursday's rematch with the Celtics. Boston defeated the punchless Lakers 109-96on Jan. 30 at Staples Center.

"We have two days now to watch film and understand what happened in that game and how they beat us," Gasol said. "It was a game that we could have played better, for sure. But they played well. They got everybody going pretty much on their team.

"So, we're going to have to be really physical, really solid, really aggressive to be successful in Boston. You have to be physical. You have to be active. You have to be communicative out there in order to succeed against a good offensive team."

Boston center Shaquille O'Neal isn't expected to play Thursday because of an Achilles tendon injury.